Agree with all this. The usual tantrums from our resident grouches shouldn't disguise the fact we're playing decent football and heading in the right direction. We nerd a Coutinho backup too - or at the very least someone who is a real threat at set pieces, we waste most of them.

Still hopeful of a strong season.

I forgot they snuck in an extra set of PL fixtures this Tuesday and Wednesday.

Boro away and then the Derby at Goodison a week tomorrow.

At least four points from those two please.

What's Joe Hart's situation?
Just asking.

We've scored five goals in two games, and got a point to show for it.

Football can be weird.

I'm as frustrated as everyone else by our usual getting ahead and then throwing it away situation which I was questioned for earlier in the thread, well it happened again, 1-0 to go 2-1 down. Mignolet has to come back in, one thing he is good at is shot stopping, he's played well when hes come in for the EFL Cup.

Karius has absolutely no confidence at the moment and it shows. As soon as Payet lined up that free kick I knew it was going in, the second goal he should have come flying off his line to at least put pressure on Antonio.

As frustrated as we all are on the flip side we would have all taken 3rd at this stage of the season with a 4 point gap to 5th and we always look like we can score going forward.

We are missing Coutinho but the real frustrating thing for me is you would think it would be Sturridge's chance to get in the team but he has somehow injured himself again, he can't be relied on when we need him which is equally frustrating.

Brilliant post Sloth. I remember it was only last year when the bubble blowers smashed us 3-0, we are playing decent football, and these things are going to take time, especially where injuries are concerned.

Karius taking all the blame again; partly understandable and partly, in my opinion, just a little unfair.

It was Lallana who flapped out a lazy leg and gave away a foul in the almost ideal position. When a player as good as Payet is given that sort of opportunity where he can choose either side, it's a nightmare for keeper and wall. Though when the opposition puts players in the middle of the wall, you have to take that as a decent indication of where the ball is likely to be aimed.

The second goal, like Bournemouth's 3rd last week, looked a comedy of errors. A pretty standard cross-ball that Matip originally seemed to have covered ( Karius probably had started to cover it too) , it then takes a big deflection off a Liverpool player that throws the ball behind Matip, going from in front of his left side to behind over his right shoulder, not easy for him but he could have done better with it. Somehow the ball falls for Antonio and Karius is left with a one-on-one which Antonio finishes quite nicely. I can accept the point of view that the keeper should do better, but I can't really see how it's all his fault; without the unlucky deflection the situation probably gets dealt with.

The question now: just how bad is the lads confidence been hit and is there too much pressure on him at this time for a game such as Everton? If it was my decision I'd probably put Mingolet in midweek and get him ready for next weekend. But I have a feeling Klopp will stay loyal to his player just a little while longer.

( p.s. despite the howler for the equaliser, Randolph's save from Hendo's shot to deny him a winner was about the best I've seen this season.

It's still not a case of us "collapsing" when we get put under any pressure though - yesterday we defended fine for 95% of the game but individual errors led to goals. Most teams deploy one or even two defensive midfielders whereas we don't - so we are prone to being exposed more than others. A commanding keeper would be a godsend - not sure about Hart though - he has David James moments of poor concentration especially when he's not busy. Why are there so few keepers around who are happy to come and catch the ball or be decisive?

We are just not set up as a defensive team and I don't believe we have the personnel or system to do that anyway. Our middle three push forward and add to the overall fluidity of the system so parking one just in front of the defence will disrupt things (in Klopp's view). Not sure Lucas can do that role safely these days and he's the closest to a DM that we've got.

At the end of the day, we're averaging two points a game and that makes tolerating the last week far easier. Only Chelsea have hit upon the perfect balance of defence/attack and I think Kante is hugely key to that. United look tighter than us but they are far less cavalier and rely on Zlatan for 40% of their goals - as games progress and Mourinho attempts to close down games it works against him sometimes just as our style works against us sometimes.

I'm happy with our style and would rather we bought a beast of a keeper and left everything else as is unless we can find a magician to fill Coutinho's boots. Injuries up top have struck again so an extra body there would be useful, especially with Mane off to the ACON soon.

Everton doing us a favour so far, 1 all with Arsenal, only 5 minute left.

Just gone 2-1 up

Big result possibly there are at Everton, that's all we can hope for right now.

Yeah as we can go level on points with Arsenal tomorrow, thats if we can beat 'boro, which if the last 2 games are anything to go by, i wouldn't say is a cert.

Yes I don't know what to expect I feel nervous all over again.

Yeah same here

FT Everton 2-1 winners.

Only downside is they'll be full of confidence for the derby at Goodison Monday evening!!!

No slip ups at Boro tomorrow will help us combat that though.

Jagielka suspended though which is a bonus!

It was strange without the forums

Great win though, we need another run.

Yeah, good result that after the last 2 games, should take us into the derby better.

It was indeed strange without the forums and an excellent result given our injuries.

Also, huge credit to Klopp for trolling the Neville Bros for their opinions on Karius. It deflected the media away superbly as he did then put Mignolet back in the team.

The Belgian also had a good game between the sticks against Boro.

A winning week for Jurgen and the team all around

Chelsea winning ugly 1-0 again I don't see them messing enough for anyone to catch them, but someone score against please ffs.

Carragher:

A draw between Arsenal and City would do us tomorrow

9 points clear now. Won't be easy caught 😔. Heard them say today that 6 out of the last 7 teams to be top at xmas won the league. Who was the team top at xmas who didn't win the league? Yes us. Add that to the only team to score 100 goals and not win the league. Still can't figure out how we managed to mess that up.

Anyway hoping for big things on Monday.

I am bound to say that Chelsea are the favourites for the title now - not so much cos they are that superior but cos they have a big gap and do not look likely to drop too many points. But I think we are maybe their strongest rivals or at least level with 2 others in City and Arsenal. I would also say United and Spurs are not totally out of it either.

I hate hearing LFC fans talk as if the aim is top 4 this season - yes that may have been the case at the start and yes we would be satisfied if we achieved that and if we didn't it would be a major blow, but as things stand in second place as we approach Christmas we have to have an attitude of aiming to win the title. Not shouting from the rooftops that we will but simply thinking it is possible, I think as Liverpool fans we stop ourselves doing so cos we worry over the reaction of other teams fans who may laugh at us as we say it is going to be our year this year - when for 26 years it has not been our year. But largely speaking what fans of other teams think is irrelevant, no other team in second place at Christmas would say they have no chance so why should we be any different?

What CFC have hit on now is a formula for winning - I don't even think they are playing that well or at least not attractively but they are winning and that is the key thing. I struggle to rank a team with David Luis, Victor Moses and Marcus Alonso in as being certs for the title but in fairness all 3 are playing well at present. Also I think they are reliant on certain players - Costa and Hazard particularly and also Kante and if any of them were out through injury (or suspension - in Costa's case!!) then they would be weaker.

Anyway there is a lot of football still to play - and we are still in the race for the title that's for sure.

Looks like I had the same opinion as Carra in my earlier post

Not sure if Jamie or I can be considered 'great minds' but we do think alike

I hate football on a Monday, during the week when we had eight games more or less the same time I love that and on rare occasion all games at the same time, shame we don't get that to often anymore.